New PARCA Education Research Center opens with statewide survey on school funding and choice – Alabamians say schools are underfunded and split evenly on the CHOOSE Act.

The Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama has launched the PARCA Education Research Center, a dedicated center within PARCA that Read the full release.  


“Low-hanging fruit” or “blood out of a turnip”? As tax revenue slows, lawmakers in Alabama and across the United States may turn to court costs.

Sluggish tax collections could set the stage nationally for new hikes in court costs, fines, and fees. That’s according to Read the full release.  


Joint Interim Court Cost Study Commission Recommends Standardization, Transparency, and Reform to “Patchwork” System of Fees

For over a decade, PARCA has documented the role of court costs as they exist at the intersection of public Read the full release.  


SNAP Error is Not SNAP Fraud

By on August 20th, 2026 in , : in Public Health, State & Local Government

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, helps people with low incomes buy food. Read the full release.  


Special Congressional Primary Continues Trend of Declining Political Participation in Alabama

Only 5% of registered voters in the Alabama Congressional Districts holding elections last week cast ballots, producing one of the Read the full release.  


PARCA Research Wins National Awards

By on July 27th, 2026 in : in News & Events

Last week, members of the PARCA team traveled to Chicago for the Governmental Research Association’s (GRA) annual conference, where policy Read the full release.  


Local Court Fee Increases Associated with Increased Jail Detention, New Research Finds

New research led by the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA) and MDRC indicates that each additional $100 in Read the full release.  


Alabama Sees Third-Grade Reading Progress Slow

After multiple years of progress, Alabama third grade reading performance plateaued in 2026, with 11.8% of students scoring under the Read the full release.  


Graduation and Readiness Rates Continue to Rise

Seniors in the graduating class of 2025 set records on two measures: 93% of seniors graduated on time four years Read the full release.  


Cities in the north, south, and east grow fastest; Central cities continue to see population flow to suburbs

Growth moderated across most of Alabama cities in 2025 according to new population estimates for Alabama cities. Printable PDF available Read the full release.  

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